From A Pirate's Viewpoint
by Noc and NC
Summary: Ace's thoughts during and after moments spent with a country girl. -Companion piece to A Country Girl's Pirate-
1. Nostalgia

"_Mouda widened her eyes as the pirate was suddenly holding _her_ up now, bracing the girl against his chest with one arm as he started to limp away from the pair of marines."_ — A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter five.

—Ace finds that there is something distantly familiar about his rescuer.

* * *

Nostalgia

The girl was of average height for someone her age- sixteen, maybe- but compared to him, she seemed very tiny, and he wondered how difficult it was for her to hold him up like she was.

The man felt her body trembling underneath his weight, and he deiced it must have been pretty damn difficult. The marine boy they were with wasn't helping at all, too busy being scared witless behind them. Ace found that he would have liked to remove some of the weight from her, but his legs couldn't hold him up right.

"Sorry" he got himself to mutter. "I'm, uh, having a bit of trouble getting my muscles to work…"

Damn marines and their damn seastone, he cursed to himself. It must still been messing with me. Not to mention I haven't eaten in a while. God, I'm hungry…

"It's okay" the girl told him softly- she sounded so_ worried_ for him. "You deserve all the rest you can get…"

Guilt forced him to admit that hunger and seastone energy wasn't the only reason he didn't lift himself up. His face was into the crook of her neck and it felt good enough to fall asleep against. In the back of his mind, she also seemed really familiar. It wasn't her voice or looks- not that he'd been able to take a good look at her anyways. It was…the way she smelled.

He'd smelt this before. A mix of hay and clean sheets and feminine scents- but from where, he couldn't quite recall.

She was talking to the marine- judging from the energy behind him, the pirate guessed they'd been caught by someone. Whatever. He could take them in a couple of minutes.

What the _hell_ is this from? He questioned himself again, breathing deeper into the girl and half-heartedly hoping she didn't notice. He knew the answer, damn it, but-

Someone started laughing behind them, and Ace found the conversation going on around him harder to ignore because of it.

"_You_, beat _me?!_" said a gravely familiar voice. "Impossible, lad!"

The pirate's body went ridged as the owner of the voice continued talking, the man finding it to sound more and more like someone he knew with each syllable.

"Alright Coby, I _guess _I can let you off the hook _this_ time- you were helping my grandson, after all!"

"Yes sir!" the boy behind them squeaked. "T-thank you very much, sir- wait, _grandson?!_ But I thought _Luffy-san_ was your grandson!"

Without a second thought Ace used the arm the girl was holding and wound it tighter around her frame, lifting her off the ground. This felt good too, and he was sad he couldn't enjoy it because of the circumstances.

"A-Ace?" the way she stuttered was pretty cute, he thought absently. "Are you okay?"

"Sure" he told her through a hidden grin, using his wayward thoughts to ignore the pain spiking through his body as he limped along.

"Hey," she pried. "Didn't that marine just say you were his grandson?"

"Yeah. We should hurry" he sighed, being pulled back to reality. He forced himself to move faster, and luckily it hadn't been too hard to do. The seastone was wearing off, finally.

"But isn't he your grandda?"

"Uh-huh" her sliver of an accent was cute too, but he just didn't have to time to think about it right then

"So why are you running away faster?"

The answer was obvious when Garp shouted at them from where he stood some two hundred meters away.

He groaned loudly and started running, tripping over himself and the girl's legs a few times as the remaining bouts of pain became harder to ignore.

_Fine_, he grumbled to himself as he reached the south side of the port and began speaking with the strangely familiar in his arms. Forget about how she smells. More importantly, which boat is the one I'll be stealing?

He had to hand it to the marine kid; he did a good job of breaking the law.

After the girl had slipped out of his hold and said some nonsensical apologies to him, she started to look through the boats for this bag of hers. Ace took a seat where she had left him, his muscles and cuts aching as he propped his arm up onto his knee to hold up his head.

She was pretty, he saw now, with long blonde hair and big blue eyes and a baby-face that completed her image. He hadn't met anyone quite like her before, he figured, but the nostalgic sensation inside of him wouldn't leave. Surely, he hadn't gotten so close to her in the past, had he?

Something hazy appeared in his mind- A pillow. White, frills, lavender. Tiny fishes. Had he been sleeping? Yes, he'd defiantly been sleeping when he'd encountered the scent.

A bed? He asked himself in wonder.

_Her _bed?

Ace's thoughts were cut short when the girl called out to him from a boat near the end of the dock, waving to him with as smile lit up her face. The pirate couldn't help but think it wasn't the first time he's seen her look at him like that.

* * *

Something I thought would be fun to do, and also something that would be useful to people who wanted to know how Ace felt during the time spent with our favorite country girl. As I've said in the summary, it's a companion story to 'A Country Girl's Pirate', and you'll be feeling really lost unless you read that too. ACGP is written in such a way that the reader only sees into Mouda's mind- so to help balance things out, this is written to only show Ace's thoughts.

As for how each chapter of this story would be structured- it's supposed to be sort of drabble-ish, showing an important part of a chapter, but from Ace's point of view and not Mouda's. I give a quote from a certain chapter to let the readers know where about in the storyline the following scenes happen at, and to let people know what part is especially important. At some points I'll even write whole scenes without Mouda in it, little parts that happened in between her story's chapter scenes. Consider these two stories to be something like xxxHOLiC and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles- one provides things to the other that aren't necessarily vital for the reader to know. But in my personal opinion I think that if your reading xxxHOLiC then you should defiantly read Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, or vise versa.

This one probably won't be updated as frequently as ACGP, because after all, it's just a side thing. But it'd at least let me give you something to read if I get stuck on the main storyline, right?

As a little note, I'd like to mention that this side story will become M in the future. Mouda's point of view is more innocent, since she's a girl, not quite an adult yet, as I've emphasized many times throughout the story. Ace is a full-grown man. His thoughts, I imagine, would sometimes stray into the gutter, and stay there as long as they like.


	2. Recollection

"_The cloth slipped from the girl's hands as her fingertips touched the back of the man's shoulders, and Ace remained perfectly still as Mouda pressed her forehead to the bare skin of his back."_ — A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter six

— Ace's memory jogs at the best and worst moment.

* * *

Recollection

He was good at coping with pain. He could take a lot in a fight, and although it had become rare for him to actually get hit, he got back up the second after he was. Solid kicks and punches could be shaken off easy, and the consistent throbbing of bruises wasn't hard to ignore.

But as the wet cloth ran across his back, Ace couldn't stop himself from flinching. The sensation was annoying. It would be a sharp jolt through his nerves, so quick he almost couldn't register it until it appeared again from another touch of the dampened material the girl was using to wash the wounds on his backside clean. It was impossible to keep the sparks of unpleasantness out of mind, for they were always renewing themselves.

"I'm sorry" her voice was quiet but firm as she spoke. "It stings, but it needs to be done"

"Yeah. I know"

What she had said sounded so motherly. At least, he thought they did.

He didn't have many memories of his mom, but the girl's actions and tone of voice was…similar to what Ace might have thought to be his mother's. What would the girl think of _that?_

A grin crossed his face and he started chuckling, to which the girl questioned. He explained his reasoning for the sudden laughter, telling her that saying something like that to a stranger like her would have sounded weird. As he spoke, the pirate felt like he was lying.

She _was_ a stranger.

He didn't know her name.

But it felt like he'd met her before.

The girl went quiet for a moment, the wet cloth running over his lower back. "A-actually…"

The sound of her voice was quite, so he turned his head towards her slightly to hear her better. "Hm?" she seemed to shrink at his actions.

"Actually…we…you and I have met before…" the girl's words were very faint as she spoke. "I'm sure you don't remember. I live on a farm that sells milk- you stayed for the day after I pulled you out of a river…"

He did remember milk, now that it was mentioned. Cold milk with sandwiches and fruit. He remembered kicking some Blackbeard-like doctor in the face, too, and getting tossed in a river. After that…

"_You saved me?"_

"…And delivered some things for me…nothing…special…"

Sometime after that he'd delivered a letter to a nearby marine base and a mail office for a girl…a cheerful blonde haired girl that had pulled him out of the river, who had a cow called Moo-moo. A girl named…

"_Yes! I'm Mouda, by the way!"_

"That was about three months ago…I….a few days ago I found out that you were going to be executed…it was strange news to me. Actually, I didn't even know you were a pirate or anything until I read about it, so I felt…a little overwhelmed…I didn't…think about…it…much…"

Her voice faded off with a shaky whisper, and there was a soft pressure on his back as she rested her forehead against it. The man felt a warm sensation trailing down his skin. He realized that the girl who had saved his life was crying on him.

"_I'm Portgas D. Ace. Thanks, Mouda" _

"I'm glad you're okay…"

Mouda sounded so sad, so happy, and so _in love with him_ that Ace jumped up from where he sat out of pure shock.

* * *

A shorter chapter for you all, though I'm allowed to do that because these are only drabbles, anyways, haw haw!

So there you go. Ace remembered. He just had a bit of bad timing. I kind of made him look like an asshole, jumping up like that when Mouda was talking all emotionally and crying, so hopefully this redeems him. If I was him I'd be shocked too.

A nice treat while you wait for the next chapter in ACGP!


	3. Conflict

"_Her knees buckled, her eyes refused to open, and her nerves shut down as she began to fall."_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter seven.

— Ace doesn't know who to be mad at.

* * *

Conflict

Seeing the crew again had been great. They cheered and he laughed, Ronal threw a playful punch at him and he, out of reflex, set the man's sleeve on fire. Another round of excited cheers and filled the deck as the man scrambled to put it out, grinning the entire time. Someone asked how he had managed to escape, and when he jerked his thumb backwards and said that the pretty blonde girl accompanying him had been the one to host the jail break, there was another burst of laughter and cheers mixing in the air, a few of the men congratulating him on a 'job well done'.

Ace found himself giving the comments a glare that was a bit more serious then he had intended. It hushed the jokes, though, which was all that really mattered.

Really now. Mouda was just a kid- she didn't deserve to be the focus of such lewd thoughts.

Marco said something about thanking her personally and walked off, leaving Ace to enjoy the reunion. He had been doing just that, until he felt a slight change in the atmosphere surrounding them.

Ace slowed down in his movements, skimming his eyes over the crowed to peer at the upper section of the deck where their captain sat. Any negative twist to the air meant that the captain was upset about something. Was it because he brought Mouda on board? No, that was too miniscule to change his mood any. So what exactly was the problem? Shifting through the crowd, Ace made his way towards the steps, a flash of pale gold catching his eye.

What the hell was Mouda doing up there?

"Damn it!" Ace growled, already feeling unsafe about the situation. Stalking towards the tiny blonde figure, a hand suddenly caught his arm, pulling him backwards. "Hey! What the hell-"

"I told the little lady that I'd let her have a chat without interruptions" Marco explained, releasing the second commander's arm. "There's no harm, right? After all, it's just talking"

"There's a whole lot of harm in 'just talking'!" Ace disagreed, throwing an unbridled glare at his superior. "He's already mad at her!"

What the hell was wrong with Marco today? He was usually so sensible.

"Hmm…maybe you're right? But maybe you're wrong, too. Mouda-chan is pretty strong"

Now Ace _knew_ there was something wrong with the man. Mouda wasn't strong. She was a farmer who didn't eat properly.

The thoughts drifted away as Marco pointed up at where their captain and the country girl were conversing.

Ace turned around to look as he heard the girl scream something. Her words were caught in the loudness of his crewmates, but they had been there, if only for a brief moment. Then his eyes widened as he noticed how much sweat was on her skin, and how deep the glare on his captain's face had become.

Mouda's hair glimmered like white gold as she started to fall forwards.

Ace thought that it would be a good idea to let her fall. A swift blow to the head might knock some sense into the girl, smarten her up. What she had said to his captain was unacceptable. Brave, but unacceptable. Honest, but unacceptable.

Unacceptable, but true.

Wait…what?

His arm was hooked around her before he knew it, the girl's form limp but feather-light in his grip. Ace sucked in a breath of air. When had he gotten up here? The pirate looked up, hoping his expression didn't match how he was feeling. The old man's glare had died down, but the thick atmosphere remained.

"Ace," the man leaned back in his seat. "Good to see you. I was worried for a little while, after I heard you had failed to beat Teach"

So was I, the logia user replied in his head. So was Mouda. She was _so_ worried that she came and _helped_ me. That would be the wrong thing to say, though. The captain was making a point by mentioning Teach. He was disappointed at his son's loss.

"Give me another chance to get Teach!" he requested, the barely present weight of Mouda in his arm and the faint ache of his healing wounds spurring him on. "I won't lose this time- I have twice as much pain to give back to him!"

His tightened his hold on the girl- his savior. She was the one who had given him his _real _second chance. There was no one to thank but her. Carefully he slipped an arm under her knees, letting the girl fall back against his chest as he shifted his hold on her. She was like a rag-doll princess, with pretty blond hair and motionless limbs.

Only when the pained expression on her face faded did the black haired pirate return his gaze to his captain.

"…Alright, Ace" Whitebeard agreed, looking down at his second commander and the girl in his arms with narrowed eyes. "Do as you please"

* * *

I hadn't been sure if I wanted to write this scene from Ace's point of view. He had pretty much told Mouda what he had been thinking, anyways, so I didn't know if I felt like going over it again.

But then my brain shut down just as ACGP was starting to get rather popular, and I was thinking, my god, I have to give them _SOMETHING!_

So, here's a little Ace chapter for you, with pretty descriptions of Mouda by me.

In case someone didn't get it, the thing about Mouda eating poorly was reference to chapter one in ACGP, where she didn't eat her lunch.

I _am_ working on the new chapter of ACGP, by the way. It's a file on my computer.


	4. Restraint

"_Mouda gave one tiny yawn before curling in the sheets, enjoying the extra warmth while starting to drift asleep." _—A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter eight.

—Ace isn't so comfortable with sharing a bed.

* * *

Restraint

This wasn't fair.

As Mouda hopped onto the single bed and pulled back the blankets, he thought this several times. Sliding beneath the covers, her white skirt hiked up and her damp platinum hair clung to the pillow while she laid down her head, the girl pulling a portion of the blanket over herself.

How come she got to be so relaxed? Girls were supposed to be shy about these things.

Taking in a silent breath of air he moved to undo his shorts, Ace stopping himself quickly upon remembering where he was sleeping and who he was sleeping with, but not _sleeping_ with, which meant he wasn't allowed to wear anything less then what he did when awake, much to his annoyance. Fighting through the tension he lifted up a knee and pressed it to the mattress, letting himself slip under the covers on the bed, feeling like every rustle of cloth was much louder then it should have been. He rolled onto his side, facing away from his company.

"Good night" the girl sighed. He might have mumbled something back, but it was hard to hear himself with all the blood in his ears.

She shifted slightly, the blonde's petit body curling as she yawned. The man could feel every motion she made, from the bending of her slender legs to her faint intakes of air. Everything was keeping him awake.

Tucking an arm under his head, he tried to relax. That evening's conversation replayed in Ace's mind and he furrowed his brow, feeling frustrated at the voice in his ears.

"_Do you know what this is?"_

No, he hadn't

"_It's a love letter"_

As she pulled it out of his sight, tearing through the worn paper frightfully, he understood that it wasn't for her, but _from_ her.

Her hands were tiny as they caught his. Like the rest of her, they were growing, the slender delicateness of her fingers curling over his knuckles and palm purposefully. He could easily picture them curling over other parts of him, too, and the sudden twist in his thoughts broke him from his revere for a moment, his shorts feeling a little tight.

With the hand that wasn't gripping the hair at the back of his head Ace rubbed his eyes, smudging the sweat building there.

Down boy, he ordered himself. Nothing's happening tonight.

But something _could_ happen, if he wanted it to. Very easily, in fact, because they both knew that what she had said to him was no lie. The knowledge of how willing she might be bothered him like nothing else could.

"_I love you"_

Mouda's eyes had been teary and strained as she spoke, her hands rubbing at her face, smudging red over her mouth. He had stood up after this, moving with the urge to pick up her up and bring her mouth to his, kiss away the blood, take her broken lip into his mouth and ease the pain. She backed up, derailing his instinctive thoughts, which he was glad for.

Then she started to fall backwards, and Ace thought that maybe he really could let her fall this time instead of catching her. Joining her once she hit the mattress seemed much more pleasing, but he caught her anyways, gripping her shoulders tightly. He knew that letting her fall would have ultimately been a bad idea. Letting her move was also a bad idea, so as her feet steadied he didn't even think to loosen his hold. The pirate kept his arms straight and ridged, holding her still but also holding her _away_.

"_I don't think you love me"_

What a lie.

He continued lying through his teeth while thinking about how much it must hurt her. Although girls did sometimes get carried away by thoughts of love, mistaking lust for its purer counterpart, Mouda wasn't one of them.

But she was young.

"_So you mean to say that I'm just lusting over you"_

The grip he had on her shoulders lessened when he heard her conclusion, the disbelieving tone in her voice. The man had agreed with the words despite knowing that the girl's feelings hadn't been swayed. Looking up at him with her salty blue eyes, Ace had once again felt the desire to kiss her. Ignoring the impulse, the pirate returned her stare, feeling like his mind had just been read.

His jaw still felt a little sore.

Clicking his teeth together, pain trickled through his mouth and Ace wished it was strong enough to help him ignore the heated ache felt elsewhere. The hand in his hair tightened as he searched for something to grip with the other, worried that his distracted thoughts might have it reaching for his zipper, or worse, behind his back.

Ace quickly settled for the rim of the mattress, nails digging into the sheets as he stared at the chair across from where he was, the pirate's eyes well-adjusted to the darkness of the room by now. Why did she have to bother him about it so much? What was so terrible about sleeping in the chair? Sleeping with her sleeping right beside him was much worse.

At least if he was in the chair he could have-

No, no, no. Ace moved his hand from the mattress up to his face again. That would be just as bad, because I _know_ what I'd be thinking about, and that wouldn't make things any better.

A quick and graphic flicker of images pertaining to what he'd be thinking about appeared in his mind as Mouda mewled in her sleep, making Ace throw himself off the bed.

* * *

Been a while, Ace? Rotfl.

But on to serious matters! As some might have noticed I kicked this story's rating up to M, because I wasn't sure how much hinting was too much hinting, and it was going to be M eventually so why not?

Silly innocent Mouda, never to understand how she'd frustrated him so.

Ace _likes_ Mouda- she's a sweet, dedicated, pretty girl who's quickly becoming a woman, and she likes him for more then just his looks, not minding his pirate ways. There's plenty of potential for him to love her the way she loves him.

Only she's almost five years younger then him. It would be fine if she was, say, eighteen or so, but while Ace is twenty, she's currently fifteen (by my rough estimate). That's barely over the age of consent!

A bit of a moral barrier for him to overcome.

On to other things, people with Narcolepsy tend to fall asleep very quickly and spontaneously during the day, but in turn, this sometimes causes then to be more alert during the night, which explains why Ace didn't pass out the second he lied down. Amongst various other reasons.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll do my best to update ACGP a bit faster this time around.


	5. Tease

"_He wasn't hiding anything from her, but rather, she just didn't understand what he was thinking this time- as though whatever was going through Ace's head was just beyond her grasp." _—A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter nine.

—Ace believes that demonstrating something is the easiest way to make a person understand.

* * *

Tease

Ace's morning had been fairly uneventful other then the mystery of him waking up to find a blanket over his body, which had definitely not been there when he tossed himself onto the floor.

Mouda was sitting in the chair on the other side of the room- the chair he had so desperately wanted to sleep on- with her knees tucked up to her stomach. Absently he watched her fold her clothes from the day before and slip them into that bag of hers. Then she got up and reached for the ceiling, standing on her toes, a yawn passing through the air as she unwound herself. The girl padded over to the bedside table and set down her bag before heading towards the bathroom, her frilly red skirt swishing interestingly.

Quickly the pirate stole the chair for himself, dragging it over to the nightstand and digging through his own bag to salvage some scraps of paper and a pencil. He needed to start narrowing down the places where Blackbeard might be, and quickly. The captain wouldn't wait forever, and if he entered the new world, who knew how long it would take him to find the traitor.

He had been skimming through a recent newspaper when something brushed the back of his head. Ace looked behind himself in mild curiosity, only to see Mouda staring at him with something similar to anxiousness on her face. For a couple of seconds he waited for her to speak before decided the girl wasn't going to say anything- she was way too quiet sometimes- and got the ball rolling.

"What?" he started.

"Huh? O-oh, um…I just wanted my bag… for…hair ties…" Mouda played with her hair as she spoke, the epitome of shyness.

Her bag. He was sort of in her way, now that he thought about it. Turning back around, he snatched it off the nightstand. "Here you go"

She did not leave, not that it really bothered him, but thinking of what she wanted was distracting. He heard a soft thud before she spoke again.

"Um…Ace? I was wondering if I could do something"

As he had suspected, the girl wanted something other then her bag. "What is it?"

There was a long, patience testing pause before Mouda pieced together a sentence. "That's…you might get mad about it…" silence followed after her words, and Ace quickly concluded that he would have to guess to find out what she was asking for.

Looking over his shoulder at her, Ace felt a grin form on his face. "What, did you want a hug or something?"

Mouda blushed at the question and he thought he'd gotten it right, but to his surprise the blonde shook her head. "N-no…well, it's about the same level as a hug…I think…?"

Now she was just being confusing. Only a woman could be so elusive about what they wanted. _Girl_, Ace quickly corrected himself.

"Well, whatever it is, I won't get mad" the man reassured, deciding that trying to pull the answer out of her was a lost cause. "I'm going to go back to this stuff though, alright?"

Quickly refocusing on his previous task, the awareness of her presence faded enough for the pirate to keep reading, underlining good clues where they were spotted. Then he felt her tiny, delicate fingers sliding through his hair and he almost snapped his pencil in half.

If Mouda actually understood what she was doing to him, then Ace would have called her a tease. Unfortunately, her innocence _wasn't_ an act, she _didn't_ understand, and for some terrible reason it made the sensation of her nails grazing his scalp feel even better.

For a brief moment he closed his eyes, being lulled by the soft brushing of her fingertips. He had been with a number of women, and had been touched all over, but not once during those times had this particular sort of closeness been present. It was different- it was clean and capturing.

It was…nice.

Ace came back from his inner wanderings and stood up, feeling Mouda's fingers slip from his hair with the motion. He had just been thinking _way_ too much about something completely unimportant to him right now. He had things to do.

Even so, his blood was in a rush.

"Y-you said you wouldn't get mad…!" Mouda stammered from behind.

"…I'm not mad"

But she didn't understand, really, with her large blue eyes and doll-like features. That was probably what made him do it, he figured, combing through Mouda's hair with his hands as the redness of her face steadily increased, either from holding her breath for too long or something else.

* * *

I'm slowly getting better at this Ace POV thing, I think. Before I wasn't so comfortable with it, but this chapter was exceptionally fun to write. Not sure why. Maybe it's because Mouda's side of this scene was just so gratingly awkward for me. That's how I had planned it, of course, but it definitely didn't help with the writing process.

I always find it bizarre how easily FAPV chapters come to me. Probably because I always have something to work off of, but even so, it's just weird. I guess you guys are just happy to have it out so fast, huh?

I'll try to update ACGP quicker, but don't be silly like myself and get your hopes up. Unlike me, you guys know I have college entries to do.


	6. Trusting

"_Her eyes watered responsively, tears slipping down her face as she tried to bear with it."_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter ten.

—Ace wants Mouda to believe in him, because otherwise he'd just be using her.

* * *

Trusting

When he'd seen a marine vessel at the docks, Ace hadn't thought anything of it- just something else to weave around as he moved through the crowded market area. Mouda followed behind him, not saying anything. Several times he had himself look over his shoulder, just to make sure she was still there.

"Hey," the girl finally broke her silence. "Would it be okay if I got something while we're here?"

"Uh…" he didn't have that much cash on him. "Sure…?"

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the small port town they'd stopped at to gather supplies, Mouda's departing footsteps went unheard. Walking along by himself, Ace dug into his pockets whilst unaware of the approaching enemy. Grasping a few beli in his fist, the pirate stopped walking and kicked at the ground a little, feeling somewhat embarrassed about having agreed to buy her something.

"So, what do you want?"

"I'm surprised you asked, Fire Fist! The answer would be _you in custody!_"

Ace spun on heel at the words, noticing for the first time the strong smell of tobacco in the air as he confirmed that the one who had spoken was not Mouda. In fact, he didn't even see her. Instead he was greeted with the sight of a marine hat, large puffs of smoke and a figure wearing mostly white. The cigar smoking marine had a grin on his face and a glare in his eyes as he stared down the recently escaped pirate.

"Oh" said Ace.

"You were strolling along so casually," started the marine captain, "that I almost thought you hadn't noticed me!"

He _hadn't_ noticed him, but the elder D. brother wasn't about to go and admit that.

"Yeah, well…" the black haired man tucked his hands behind his head, money still clenched between his fingers as he pondered how to get out of this without setting several shops ablaze. "Figured I'd just keep walking until you got bored, but I guess that's not going to happen, huh?"

"Damn right is isn't!" Smoker growled. "Now, what do you say, want to come along peacefully?"

Ace watched quietly as the smoke in the air coiled and became thicker, gaining more solidity as the marine prepared his attack. An idea clicked in his mind and Ace smirked while squeezing the paper and coins in his grasp tightly.

"Well…I've never really considered myself a peaceful sort of guy…" behind his head, the Whitebeard pirate's fingers started to glow. "How about you? Feel like letting me go peacefully?"

The white haired captain glowered, ashes falling to the ground as his cigars continued to burn, filling the air with dark grey smoke. "We both know that won't happen"

"Really?" several onlookers eyed the faintest bits of sizzling liquid that dripped onto the ground from the fire logia's hand. "Not even…for a _price?!_"

At those words Ace revealed his hand, throwing the molten coins at the unsuspecting marine. Smoker recoiled as the scorching metal dappled his hat and coat, setting both articles on fire. Quickly he gathered the smoke in the air to smother the flames, while Ace used this blink in time to make a getaway.

Where the_ fuck _did Mouda go?!_  
_

That was all that came to mind as he ran frantically through the market area, even with that rabid marine on his heels. With each twist and turn he was snapping his head to around in search of the small blonde.

"_FIRE FIST!_" roared Smoker from behind, aggravating the pirate to no end. No one should ever be that dedicated to their job. He was disrupting public peace.

Then he spotted her, pulling bag up over her shoulder as a blissfully happy smile crossed her face. Glancing back at his pursuer, Ace clenched his teeth and hoped everything would work out for the best.

I'm really sorry! The pirate silently apologized while grabbing the country girl roughly, crushing her against him. He lifted his free hand and molded a brightly burning fireball in his palm, holding it before the girl's eyes.

_I have to get you to help me again!_

Quickly he faced the marine who had halted himself the moment Mouda had been taken hold of.

"Stay where you are, _captain_," Ace warned. "Or else this little lady will become a pile of bones and ashes"

It must have been a convincing threat, because Smoker's expression went from bad to worse.

"Although I hate all pirates and don't trust a single one of them," the man stated grimly. "I've always had the idea that certain ones had a degree of honor to them… but I was wrong about you, Fire Fist…! There's nothing more disgraceful then taking an innocent bystander hostage"

The Whitebeard pirate chuckled to himself, Mouda's dangling feet brushing against the rim of his boots. "Well, we're honorable when it fits our needs. If not then we like ignore stuff like that…" discreetly he glanced down at the restrained girl to make sure she was alright.

Shock spread through him as he saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Mouda was crying. She knew it was him, didn't she? She knew he wouldn't hurt her- so then why? Unless…

Was she actually…scared?

The unexpected possibility had guilt stabbing him in the gut. Mouda was afraid. He hadn't realized she might react like this. She always seemed so reliant on him, so trusting…

She didn't trust him.

Maybe if he'd been nicer to her- if he'd relayed his feelings of gratitude to her, then-

"So…" Smoker puffed, clenching and unclenching his fists as he waited for Ace's next move. "What do you plan to do now? Burn the girl to a crisp and throw _her_ at me?"

Ace grinned weakly, his urge to act dwindling. This made things no better then an actual hostage situation. What _did_ he plan to do now? Sweat rolled down his neck as he drew a blank.

Damn it, how was he supposed to know? He didn't take hostages!

Upon sheer impulse he released his fireball, letting the flames fan out wildly around the marine. Smoke shrouded the fire unsuccessfully as the marine captain attempted snuff out the sudden inferno.

Letting go of Mouda, he shoved her away from him quickly before throwing another round of flames at his opponent. "Run!" he shouted, not looking at the girl in fear of what sort of expression she'd have. He wasn't even sure if she was still there. Maybe she had already run away.

After absently exchanging a few attacks with the white haired man, Ace realized his initial plan of avoiding damage to the market was a lost cause and set the surrounding area on fire, trapping the persistent marine within as he slipped out of sight.

When he reached the harbor and saw the blonde country girl sitting at his boat with her head down, relief flooded through him. It made him see how worried he had been that she wouldn't have been there. The feeling caught him off guard as she lifted her head up, ocean blue eyes looking hurt, yet curious.

"Ace?" she squeaked, giving him the clear sense that one of them had misunderstood the other.

"You…came here after all…?" he couldn't stop himself from confirming it, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Of course…"

"_Fire Fist!_"

In a rush the man threw Mouda and her bag into the boat, maybe a bit harder then intended as she attempted to steady herself. Burning the ropes that held them to the dock, water sprayed up into the air with the sudden force of the watercraft's movement as the motor came to life.

The waves were rushing by, and the marine's attempts to grab him were in vain. Not even smoke could touch him. Ace smirked to himself as the dark grey tendrils were forced away by his flames. Maybe in his confidence he'd forgotten about the situation. Forgotten about Mouda. The pirate had gotten so used to being on his own, he hadn't taken into account that he wasn't the only person the marine could try and grab.

The girl's scream torn through the air, and Ace looked back in time to see Mouda blue eyes close tightly.

As he reached outwards, Ace felt a second's worth of fear before his arms closed around her completely. Then it was gone, along with his powers, and all that remained was the water that surrounded them.

He was probably going to die, but hopefully not with her.

* * *

Aaah…yeah. Sorry for taking a few days to update. I wrote chapter ten of ACGP all in one day, so I guess I burnt myself out a bit.

I'm also sorry for making Ace say a bad pun like that. I felt so clever at the time, I couldn't resist.

The most chapter-ish FAPV chapter we've had so far. Normally I skim through the scene for just the details, but I really felt I had to cover everything. So, confusing things are now clarified. If anyone still has any questions…well, leave them in a review and I'll get back to you.

In case someone missed it in the latest ACGP author note, I've set up a poll on my profile page asking you, the readers, which one of my OP stories you'd like to see from me next! I'm going to write all of them eventually, but I'm curious to see what you'd be looking forward to!

With that said, I hope to see you all again soon in the next chapter of ACGP!


	7. Conversation

"_What they were saying was too quiet to hear, but despite the red haired man's carefree expression, Mouda couldn't help but think they were talking about something serious._" —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter eleven.

—Ace wants to know what's going on inside his head, but Shanks just wants to talk.

* * *

Conversation

"I was so surprised!" laughed the pirate in front of him, running a hand through his red hair as he set the sake bottle down with a thump. "To think that you were the one Rockstar picked up at the docks!"

Ace put on his very best glare for the man.

"You even had a pretty girl with you!" Shanks continued, wearing a toothy grin to counter the Whitebeard pirate's expression. "A waterlogged one. How did that happen?"

The younger man took a grudging sip of the alcohol set in front of him. "That crewmate told you about it already, hasn't he?"

"Well _yes_," the captain agreed, sounding only half pleased. "But I wanted to hear it from you directly!"

"Look," Ace sighed, reluctantly looking towards the redhead. "Can I just…leave now? I'm feeling fine"

"_Leave?__**"**_Shanks repeated, the incredulous tone in his voice possibly caused by alcohol. "But look how far out to sea we are!" he swept his arm out for demonstration, spilling a bit of his drink over the rail in the process. "We can't turn around now"

"You have my boat, don't you?"

"It's completely ruined!"

"Your crew can fix it easily. I know they can"

"We're all _far_ too drunk to do anything other then keep drinking" the captain explained dutifully.

Ace had a headache.

He had woken up to find that he wasn't dead. That in itself was great, and it was even better when he found out that Mouda wasn't dead either. Things lost their luster when he learned of who his rescuers were. _Shanks and his crew_. He was half angry and half embarrassed, and the two sides were fighting to decided which half was bigger than the other.

"Besides…that girl still hasn't recovered. Are you planning on leaving her, too?"

The sudden soberness in Shanks' voice caught him by surprise. Ace looked up from his cup of sake, observing the redhead as he downed his own and began pouring himself another.

"I'm not" the logia told him, feeling uncomfortably defensive. "Obviously"

"Really?" the captain was grinning, but it didn't reach his eyes. "That's good, then"

"When she's better, you'll fix my boat?" he hated the thought of asking another pirate crew for favors- especially this one. "I have to find-"

"Actually, we're leaving the grand line for a little while" Shanks cut him off, saying his lines with cheer. "So, we won't be able to fix your ship until we get to Logue town to stock up!"

"You're…" he thought he'd misheard the man. "You're leaving the grand line?"

"We're even planning on stopping in at Fuchsia"

Ace felt almost stunned.

"Going to throw a party when we get there"

The fire user drank the contents of his cup.

"Makino's going to be so surprised!"

"Shanks!" slamming his sake cup down, it shattered from the uncontrolled force. "_I can NOT go at a time like this!_"

A sharp squeak of surprise caught his attention, which was followed by a set of muffled coughs. Quickly, the Whitebeard pirate looked over his shoulder.

Mouda leaned against the doorframe, a hand over her mouth as she continued to cough. The girl's other hand clutched at her chest, squeezing the cloth under her fingers tightly. Feeling too started to move, Ace watched as the coughing faded to careful intakes of breath.

"I…I'm sorry" she breathed, her fingers still clamped tightly to the large button-up shirt she wore. "I just…was surprised and the air got into me the wrong way…" her big blue eyes looked at him apologetically. "Sorry"

The black haired man stared back at her watery eyes, a pang of guilt floating through him. Tears, again…

There was silence in the air, until Shanks felt the need to speak. "Ace, your wife is apologizing to you"

"Wife?!" he heard himself say as a whirl of feelings caught in his throat.

Shut the hell up, you bastard! Ace wanted to tell the man, but just couldn't muster the will to do so. Instead, he sat quietly as Mouda explained their situation, abet vaguely and without enthusiasm.

He would apologize to her later.

* * *

Just a short Ace chapter for you all, featuring the conversation between Shanks and he. After doing that full rewrite of a chapter last time, I'm well prepared to go back to the little stuff.

The word 'LEAVE' and all the variations of that word will become important in this arc (which will be known by me as the 'Fuchsia arc'), and the arcs after this one. It's my driving point as to why Ace doesn't want to try to be with Mouda.

Question- how might one leave the grand line? I've been researching intensively, but I've found no solid answer to this. There's calm belt, pretty much impossible for pirates, there's Mariejoa, the center of the world government and so also impossible for pirates, and then there's Raftel on the other side of Reverse Mountain, but the only person who's confirmed its existence is Roger and his crew. Admittedly Shanks would probably know this rout, but how does one leave otherwise?

I think Oda might have made his one and only plot hole here.

To save myself some trouble, I'm going to say there are exits on Reverse Mountain as well as entrances. Otherwise, I see no logical way (not that Reverse Mountain is very logical in itself, but oh well, it's a manga).

Then again, Shanks is tough…real tough. Maybe he could take a few thousand sea kings.

Maybe.

It's going to be another chapter or two until they reach Fuchsia, I think, so if anyone wants to help me in answering this question in the meantime, then feel free.


	8. Imagination

"_Much to her surprise, Ace's face reddened."_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter twelve.

—Ace can believe she reads, and he can even believe she reads romance novels; he just doesn't want to think about it.

* * *

Imagination

Ace woke up on the deck of the ship, a pile of liquor bottles surrounding him. Sitting himself up, the pirate gave his neck a crack and then stood up, twisting his spine until there was a satisfying pop. He'd slept on his fair share of hard surfaces, so this wasn't any bother.

Wasn't as though anyone had offered him a nicer place to sleep anyways.

Bastards.

After that grumpy thought came the curious ponderings of where Mouda had slept. Surely they'd given her a room. It was a big enough ship, they'd be able to fit in one little country girl.

An uninvited scene suddenly formed itself in his mind, one of Shanks' crewmembers telling the girl there was plenty of room in _his_ bed to sleep. 'Oh, thank you!' his mind's Mouda said back, following the pirate along with an oblivious smile.

Ace grimaced at how realistic the scenario seemed.

"Hey there!" said the voice of Shanks before a hand clapped down on his shoulder in a far too friendly manner.

"Stop that" the Whitebeard pirate grumbled, shrugging the redhead's hand away.

"Well someone's in a bad mood today" the captain gave the younger man his space, hands in his pockets. "What's wrong?"

"Well, the fact that I'm on your ship and going in the opposite direction of where I want to go makes me pretty unhappy" Ace drawled. "But having to sleep on the hard, messy deck is bad too"

"Well _I _didn't leave those bottles there"

The black haired man stared at the other pirate before pinching the bridge of his nose. "You know what? Sometimes I like to have conversations where the other participant isn't acting like an idiot"

Shanks just laughed.

"…Where's Mouda?"

This question settled the red haired man's laughter, though he was still smiling merrily. "I saw her a little while ago when she stumbled upon my room. I think she went back to hers"

"Back to hers…" Ace felt relieved. "So you did give her a room, after all"

"Worried, huh?" Shanks asked knowingly.

"Shut up!" the young man spat, stomping away. He could admit it had been a childish reaction, but he didn't care to do so right then.

The sea breeze blew through his hair as he walked along the deck. It cooled his head faster then he thought it would, hands unclenching as a flicker of gold caught his eye.

There she was.

Resting against the rail of the ship with a book in her hands was Mouda. A knee length dress covered her figure, flowing out over her thighs like a bell. Its color was pale yellow, making the girl's hair look more golden then usual.

Her back was to him, so she probably didn't notice his approach. Aiming to surprise, he flicked the unsuspecting farmer on the back of the head.

"Huh?" the girl sounded almost sleepy, looking from side to side before turning around completely and smiling. "Ace! How are you feeling?"

How was he feeling? A little stunned. She was right in front of the sun, her hair shining and her dress whirling. "I'm good" the man answered after gathering himself. "Why?"

"I thought you might be sick because you drank so much last night" she told him while looking back down at the book she'd been reading.

Oh yeah- he had, hadn't he?

Realization came to him in the form of a mental kick to the face as he noticed that he couldn't remember anything from the night before. Damn.

Did he apologize like he'd intended to?

"Oh…say…" he put his hands in his pockets. "Did I happen to talk to you or anything then?"

"You sure did! You said you were sorry for a couple of things and then- and then you fell asleep!"

Her answer sounded rushed and almost lacking in something, but she seemed relatively happy so the pirate chose to laugh. Smile and laugh. It worked with every uncomfortable situation.

"Yeah, that sounds like me. Sorry, that must have been annoying, huh?"

When the country girl did nothing but shake her head, Ace felt very convinced that he'd done something stupid and she was choosing not to talk about it. Now they weren't talking at all. She was just reading, and he was looking for a new subject to bring up.

Watching her eyes shift to a new paragraph, he felt his curiosity rise. "You're pretty absorbed in that book, aren't you? What's it about?"

Mouda shifted towards him more, tilting her book upwards to make the cover of it readable. His eyes skimmed over it in mild interest. The cover picture looked the tiniest bit iffy, and the description had a lot of needlessly passionate words, but it was the little stamp on the corner of the book that had him coughing up the air he'd just inhaled.

He wished he hadn't asked her anything.

"This is a…romance story, right?" he started slowly.

Blue eyes flicked upwards to look at him. "It is" she confirmed. "I've read it before, but it's still a really good story"

What she was telling him was hard to accept. Too hard to accept. "…You have?"

"I have"

"But, uh…" Ace lifted a hand to his mouth, trying to cough up the tight, twisting sensation in his gut. "This is adult rated, isn't it?"

Mouda looked at him strangely. "…Yes- why?"

"Well, it's just sort of-" he couldn't say it. "I mean, isn't there…um…"

"Sex?"

It was just one little word, but the single syllable from her lips had him imagining a terribly realistic scenario once again, only this one involved a bed of his own. "Y-yeah, that" he mumbled over the little moans playing inside his head.

"There's a scene like that at the beginning of the book here, and there are just little parts here and there throughout the story, until the last chapter where it's focused on a lot more" she actually flipped the pages to where she spoke of, running a hand gesturing across the pages. Ace's eyes picked up bits and pieces of sentences.

The pirate remained still, not entirely sure what to say now that his head was full of words he just couldn't use. Mouda's feet shuffled a little as she picked up where she left off in the story.

In the adult rated romance story.

"You read that stuff?"

"Yes" the blonde was annoyed with his question, and to be honest, so was he. "Why is it so hard to believe that I read?"

"Oh no, it isn't that I don't think you read. I just- I mean, you're a girl, and…" he almost trailed off. "Isn't it sort of dirty to you?"

The farmer frowned at him. She didn't like it, but at least he'd said what was bugging him.

"There's nothing dirty about lovemaking"

Lovemaking? She thought _that_ was lovemaking?

"But those types things more like-" he looked for the right word. "I don't know, porn, right?"

"Have _you_ read this book before, Ace?" Mouda questioned as her book clapped shut.

"Wha-" porn, yes. But not this particular book. "No, why would I-"

"Then you can't say something like that!"

Oh, he couldn't, could he? "Just because I haven't read it doesn't mean I don't know what kind of stuff-"

Suddenly Mouda was a tiny bit taller and a tiny bit closer as she thrust the novel up at him. "Read it, then!" she ordered. "Read it, and then come back and just _try_ and tell me its pornography!"

Once he realized that she didn't plan on backing off until he did as told, Ace took the book, mumbling in obedience.

Mouda nodded, looking rather worked up.

Ace laughed faintly, not even noticing that their small argument had gotten rid of his previous discomforts. "But now that I've taken your book, what will you do?" he asked the girl as he leaned beside her.

"Taha!" the platinum blonde laughed with a finger on her chin. "I didn't think of that…" within the quick pause, her sunburn became redder. "I-I know…since I gave you a story, how about you give me some?"

He bent his head to the side in confusion. "Huh?"

"Tell me some adventure stories!"

Ace grinned at her cheer. "I don't know if piracy stories would make a good substitute for a romance novel…"

Mouda looked down, her blonde hair falling over her face as the air became quiet.

"Adventuring through the vastness of the ocean is said to be a romantic idea…" her head barely lifted. "Isn't it?"

The black haired man felt a smile tug at his mouth as he wondered when she'd become so convincing. "Well, I guess you could say that. Let's see, a good story…"

He told her lots of stories, starting from three years ago to the month after they'd first met. The sun crawled across the sky, minutes dipping into an hour as they continued leaning against the rail of the ship. The girl at his side was quite all the while, her upturned mouth urging him to keep talking.

"Ace?"

"So then I-" glancing downwards, Ace watched as the wind twirled her hair around. "Yeah?"

Mouda was silent for just a breath longer, her blue eyes flittering open to stare out at the sea. "I really…love you"

After those words Ace could only hear his heartbeat. It went slowly, _loudly_, drowning out everything else. Then the full force of what she had said just then hit him and his pulse quickened, the pain of it nearly physical.

_What should I say? _The pounding of blood in his ears smothered the possible responses he had used every effort to gather.

Unable to piece together a reply, or perhaps just unwilling to give one, Ace walked away.

* * *

Imaaaagination. Whenever I say that I can't help but think about that one Spongebob Squarepants episode with the boxes and the rainbow appearing in his hands.

Anyways, onto the actual topic of the story! I apologize for not getting it out right away. Our flight home had been about seven hours late, so combined with over 24 hours of not sleeping and the aftereffects of this pasta I'd eaten the night before, I wasn't feeling so hot. Then I had to cancel my driving lesson and there was bunch of messy business dealing with rescheduling. Now I have this cold and it dragged me down a little. But, here it is!

Although it took me some time, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I'd been waiting to write this part in the story for some time now! I'd originally thought if it from Ace's point of view.

Has anyone been reading the manga lately? We might get to see Shanks again soon! And now we know he's not dead! (Not that I had doubts!)

I want to see Luffy use his haki again. That was…awesome.

But back onto things.

So now you lucky FAPV readers know Ace's reaction to the second confession... which was...running away. I know where he's coming from because I'm the author, but it's understandable if you think it was a total jerk move. Actually, even if I know where he's coming from it was still a total jerk move.

How does Mouda feel about it? You'll find out in the next chapter of ACGP!


	9. Wakening

"_Her mind was still in darkness, but Mouda felt her physical self illuminate with the soft, heated sensation against her lips."_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter thirteen.

—Ace knows that doesn't matter what state of mind he was in at the time, it still happened.

* * *

Wakening

He'd fallen asleep while reading- his fingers between the pages as he fell back onto the mattress. Reading always made him tired. The material of the book must have had an effect on him because he found himself having a rather pleasant dream after that. At least, he'd thought it was a dream at the time.

His vision was blurry and darkened, so the pirate had to squint to see who was lying beside him. After matching 'blonde haired girl' with 'Mouda' he rolled onto his side and stared at her, wondering what brought the farmer to him. Maybe she was here to yell at him for earlier.

Or maybe she was here to seduce him, thought his sleep-laden self. Because that's usually what people did when they wanted someone. It was quite the perfect explanation. The girl looked like she was sleeping, though. Was that part of the plan, or had she actually fallen asleep? If she really _was_ sleeping then this dream must have been hinting at some sort of turn-on he had for vulnerability.

Ace licked his lips thoughtfully. What was more vulnerable then a sleeping country girl whose dress straps were falling from her shoulders?

He lifted a hand to Mouda's face, brushing his thumb against the girl's cheek. Heh. She looked even prettier then usual.

And without another thought he leaned in and covered her mouth with his own.

She was unresponsive at first. Ace felt very determined to change this, sliding a hand through her blond tresses to cradle the back of her head. The man drew a breath of air before kissing her with more force, hoping it would wake her. He soon felt the girl paw at his shoulders, her lips moving faintly. An encouraging noise left his throat as her hands crept up his neck, fingers curling into his hair to pull him closer.

It was when she dragged her nails over his scalp that he noticed how real things were feeling. He noticed that he was awake, and what was currently happening was not a dream or even a fantasy. Mouda was in this room, on this bed, and he was kissing her.

The pirate jerked away with a gasp, scrambling to create distance between them. Mouda's hands slipped from his hair and fell to the bed with a soft thud as he pressed his back to the wall, breathing hard.

"_Fuck!_" he said without thinking. "Fucking idiot!" Ace put a hand to his mouth to keep the words inside. You didn't just do that! There is no way! And even- even if you _did_, it doesn't matter because you were half-asleep and-

_Stop_.

The man sighed coolly at the firm demand his logic had given him, lowering his hand to the bed sheets. Stop acting like a kid, the logia told himself. Don't make excuses. Facts do not change because of them. Ace looked towards the blonde haired girl asleep on his bed. Her lips were red and swollen.

You just kissed her, the voice in his head reminded him. What are you going to do about it?

"I don't know" he mumbled as he scratched at his scalp, the loss of thought making his mind itch. Should he tell her?

The very thought made his gut wrench. If he told her, then she'd know. Just _knowing_ would give the girl so much leverage, it was frightening. She would be able to find all the answers she wanted through this single event. At first she would be happy- but who knew how long that would last?

I can't say anything, he decided, picking up the novel that he had been given. His fingers flicked through it, looking for the page he had been on. She was sleeping anyways. It'll be like it never happened.

The pirate found his page, eyes trailing over the paragraphs slowly. It was a pretty interesting story despite his initial mistrust in the content. The main characters were interesting. There actually hadn't been much sex at all in the recent chapters, and what did happen wasn't nearly as graphic as he's first assumed.

Small fingers slid gently into his hair, her mouth sweet and soft as his tongue became eager to slip inside-

Ace quickly realized that the scene playing through his head wasn't the one being described in the story at all- rather, it was the one that he had experienced only moments ago. The young man groaned and pressed the open book to his face in hopes of smothering the memory.

What would Luffy do it this situation?

The question came to mind spontaneously, and for a minute Ace didn't know why he'd thought it at all. It was a stupid question. For one, he'd never _be_ in this situation. If his little blob of a brother were to stop thinking of one piece and meat long enough to take interest in someone, he would not act like Ace had- especially not if the other person confessed their love to him. Luffy didn't think about consequences. He knew they were there- because the seventeen year-old was smart in _some_ ways- but he didn't care. He went for what he wanted regardless of how things would end up ten, twenty years later.

Ace set the book down on his lap to look at the girl sleeping soundly on his bed. Why was she even here? Hadn't he been cruel to her earlier? The pirate felt bad for that, but it was for the best. If she was going to hate him, it was better that she hated him now rather then later.

"If I was as uninhibited as Luffy," Ace told her quietly, "you would end up miserable"

* * *

_This is an edited author's note._

I don't normally do this, but I recently received an anonymous review that I felt compelled to give a reply to. However, the reviewer (LongTimeFan) had left no e-mail for me to do so. As such, I've decided to write a reply here per chance they decide to re-read some of FAPV. The concerns of this review are something that I'm sure many of you dear readers would like to have me address, so I'll be answering more than a few people's unspoken questions here.

Ace's attraction to Mouda. Up until now, I've displayed it as something merely physical. He likes her as a person well enough, as can be seen in the manga chapters featureing our favorite country girl, but at this stage in the game, have his affections grown deeper?

The short answer is no. Ace doesn't feel himself drawn to Mouda in the same manner as she to him.

The long answer would be that while Ace may have developed stronger feelings for the girl, he himself does not yet realize it- or does not _want_ to realize it. The idea that he's sexually attracted to her bothers Ace- the mere thought of seriously _loving her_ is even worse! Ace has issues regarding loving relationships ending in abandonment- i.e. his parents. He is a pirate, and the sea calls to him. The love for adventure and the love for a woman- if they can't be balanced equally, someone is bound to get hurt- that is what Ace thinks. He'll wake up from this when the time is right and make a decision to either reject or accept Mouda's feelings, but until then, we all need to be like Mouda and wait patiently.

Although I had planned to explain this in-story as things carried along, LongTimeFan's remarks had me concerned that the dots weren't being connected quickly enough. That's about all I have to say on the matter- if anyone has any further questions then do feel free to ask in a review or PM. Thanks to LongTimeFan for your thoughtful review, I hope to hear from you again in the future.

And as a final note, I'm sorry about the slow updates. I have Animation midterms right now, but once I get those over with I'll try to get some new chapters done.


	10. Lust

"_Mouda felt his eyes race over her skin and she swallowed dryly, rattled."_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter fifteen.

—There's a little voice in the back of his head telling him that her naked body would be enough to make any man loose control.

* * *

Lust

Ace's bedroom door slammed shut, its hinges rattling from the unnecessary force he had used against it. This was the second door he had closed in such a manner- the first being the door to his mother's room.

Earlier in the day, the pirate had been wondering why he had decided to assign the country girl to _that_ room. She could have slept in the guest room- even Luffy's would have been fine. But for some reason, his feet had led him to the one he hadn't been considering at all.

Was it because it had been occupied by a woman? Did it somehow suit the girl in a way that the other rooms didn't? Was she supposed to feel more at home there? If anything, the layer of dust on the floor and unwrinkled bedding had made Mouda uncomfortable.

Was it because of the sweet, adoring tone that she had used when welcoming him home? It had been an absurd gesture from someone who hadn't even set foot inside the house before then. Mouda had whined that she had been trying to cheer him up- and she might have, just a little- but it couldn't have been what prompted him to offer her that particular room to sleep in.

It wasn't until evening that Ace figured it out.

He had returned from Party's Bar some time before nine, just barely on the edge of intoxication. Makino had been consistent in refilling his sake cup, and while he could have kept going, the sky had gotten dark and Mouda had left a few hours earlier. The pirate hadn't really been _worried_ or anything. Fuchsia was a peaceful town, so even if the girl had been out strolling instead of staying inside the odds that something would happen to her were low. Mouda was sort of his guest, though, so he had an obligation to make sure she didn't become bored enough to want to wander around outside too much.

Stepping into his house for the second time in over three years, Ace gave his head a small scratch before making his way towards the hallway where the master bedroom was situated. Thinking about things for a moment, he noted that she very well might have gone to bed. Being a farmer, the girl was apparently used to going to sleep early and waking up even earlier. If Mouda happened to still be awake, though, it would be nice of him to pay her a visit.

As the door to his mother's room entered Ace's field of vision, his footsteps unconsciously slowed and a prickling sensation raced over his skin. After she had died, the man had always been persistent in avoiding the unoccupied space. He didn't like stepping inside the room, looking at its interior, touching the doorknob or even the closed door.

With a hesitance that he decided was uncharacteristic of him, Ace urged himself forward, his footfalls heavy and unsmooth. So caught up in his determination to reach his destination, the pirate forgot about common courtesy and grabbed the door's handle. One would usually knock to announce their presence, but tonight seemed like the acceptation as he twisted the doorknob and pushed, the door opening swiftly.

It took Ace exactly one second to confirm that Mouda was indeed still awake. Two more seconds were spent viewing her shockingly naked body, and in less than a fraction of that time the man threw the door to a close.

He heard himself let out a few angry swears and an unreasonable demand for her to lock the door, starting to storm away from the room she was occupying.

It was wrong of him to be yelling at her when he hadn't even knocked- he knew that, even though his feet were still pounding on the floorboards. Guilt swelled inside of him, only to be tainted by a lustful heat that he couldn't control. The man could easily reopen the door and step past the threshold, apologize to the girl for his behavior and tell her how attractive she was with wet hair, kiss her, toss aside the shirt in her hands and warm her damp, shivering body with his own…

Ace was fairly serious about going through with the idea, already beginning to turn himself around. Then the pirate froze, his dark gaze sliding over the thin span of wood that separated him from the country girl. That door. That _room_.

_His_ _dead mother's room_.

Ace recoiled, disgusted with his readiness. How could he even _think_ of doing something in such a place? He'd be defiling everything! The bed, the floor, the _air_.

Memories.

So as Ace forced his own door shut, he understood the reason behind offering that bedroom to the blonde and none of the others.

He hated going near that room. If Mouda was inside of it, then that would decrease the desire to go near _her_. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Ace didn't have as strong a hold on his emotions as he would like- impulsiveness obviously ran in the family. The pirate had been able to keep himself in check so far, but even he couldn't be sure of what he would do if they were going to be all alone in the same house.

So he put her inside the one room in the house that he didn't like to approach. What a great failsafe that had been.

Clenching his fist tightly, Ace struck the wall closest to him. Frustration had become like an array of wires inside of his gut, demanding to be loosened. If left alone, they would undoubtedly snap. _He _would snap. But this wasn't the sort of frustration that a simple punch to the wall could cure- the unbearable tightening of his shorts was proof enough for that.

It had been a while, sure, but having reacted so quickly to a mere glimpse at Mouda's naked body made him just a tiny bit irritated. Was two seconds of that image really all it took? Her figure was not _that _good!

…And now some idiot part of him seemed to be trying to convince Ace that this was all _her_ fault.

Closing his eyes, he silently scolded himself while trying to ignore how his hardened member strained against its confines. Her curves might not have been so impressive by some standards, but they were definitely good enough for him. Delicate, supple curves with beads of water trailing over every inch.

"Oh,_ god…_"

With an agonizingly slow intake of air, Ace kept his eyes shut tight and allowed his free hand move downwards.

This was one of the worst things to be doing under the circumstances. Ace had been outright ignoring the girl's proclamations of love for him, and now he was using his fantasy recollection of the naked fifteen year old to fulfill his needs. He wasn't a good man in many senses of the word, but he really would become a terrible person at this rate.

Ace pressed his forehead to the wall next to where his fist still remained, paint hissing as it came into contact with the unnatural heat of the man's skin. The sporadic flickering of light behind his eyelids dissipated as erotic images of the girl continued to form. Strands of wet platinum had been clinging the edges of her breasts, droplets falling from her hair and across her exposed flesh.

The sound of his zipper being undone found its way into the man's ears, the metallic noise causing impatience to claw heatedly at his insides.

Mouda's thighs were pale, as if the sun had never touched them. Until tonight, the looks of men couldn't have had any more luck then it had. The span of white leading to the juncture between her legs knew of no one's touch but her own. Ace shoved the material of his shorts aside, baring skin that was as tan as the rest of him.

He had expected himself to hesitate for a moment, despite how his erection throbbed in the open air. He thought he might find some reason to stop himself or at least reconsider, but all that entered his mind were words of encouragement.

Anyone would lose control over something like this, wouldn't they? But this way, at least she would remain untouched. This was a lesser evil compared to what the man might do if he didn't satisfy himself right here and now.

Fingers curling tightly around his length, Ace felt himself step a little closer to being a worthless person, and Mouda was a country girl like always.

* * *

With the recent events in the manga, I can't say I was really in the mood to write this, but it was planned as a part of the timeline so I didn't feel capable of editing my way out of it any more than I already have. I had originally planned to have a little flashback conversation with Makino in here too, just for some more depth, but it became too difficult to work in so I decided that I'd cover it next time.

I don't have too much else to say about this chapter. Instead, I'll use this space to address other things.

Something that has been bothering me lately is anonymous reviews. I don't mind them in the least, but when someone asks me questions or brings up concerns that they might want answers for, they always seem to forget that I can't reply without an e-mail to send my reply to. I'm not fond of replying to reviews in my ANs because it's simply too public for my tastes. So, in short, if you are an anonymous reviewer who wants me to reply to your reviews, please give me your e-mail or consider getting an account.

Secondly, I am _so_ unsatisfied with Ace's death. Now my story has become more AU than ever. But you know that's what happens when Mouda's not around to break Ace out of jail. He _DIES_. Personally, I think Oda could have done a better job with his death. Ace's recklessness seemed very OOC, especially with LUFFY telling him to run away. I'll tell you right now, I didn't cry at all. The whole thing felt very contrived and I couldn't bring myself to feel sad…just disappointed.

Anyways. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of FAPV and are looking to the next chapter of ACGP!


	11. Chase

"_This wasn't s playful game of tag, though-"_ —A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter sixteen.

—It's because she's running away that Ace feels compelled to run after her.

* * *

Chase

The sun was blazing in the sky. White hot sand prickled the skin as it was kicked into the air by rushed footfalls. This meant nothing to him, but Ace wondered how Mouda could stand it. She was gasping for breath and stumbling forward messily, her blonde hair lashing out beneath the kerchief she wore.

And yet he couldn't seem to catch up to her. He still had plenty of strength left, and the country girl he was casing after seemed ready to collapse if she took one more step. She _did_ take another step, though, and more after it. Ace lunged forward, hoping to reach her with the extra momentum, but all he felt was the soft grazing of platinum as his fingers slid through the tips of her hair.

Before the man could notice it, something blue and sparkling was framing his vision of the girl, and a loud splash sounded through the air as the smell of the ocean hit him.

Ace froze on the spot as Mouda moved against the waves, going further into the open water with each step. Fear grasped him suddenly and without his approval. What bothered him most about it was that he couldn't tell if he was scared for her or himself.

The man's eyes left the farm hand for a split second, glancing at the water that was reaching out to him from the shoreline. "What are you _doing?_" he demanded. "Come back!"

Mouda looked back at him, water crashing against her thighs as she stilled herself. Her expression was hard to make out from the space between them, but it looked as though she might listen to him.

"You can't go in any deeper. There are sea kings in this water" he reasoned. "You'll get eaten"

The country girl turned away. The fear Ace had been feeling was quick to refresh itself, and this time he was sure the emotion was meant for her. His mentioning of sea kings was not a threat- it was a genuine attempt to warn her of the danger she was wading into.

For a long moment, Mouda did not move. The blonde kept her backside to him and stood silently while the sea breeze pulled her hair wherever it pleased. For a second Ace though she had become scared and felt relief in knowing she wasn't going any deeper. He should have known better.

Even if she was scared, Mouda was not a girl who listened to her fears very often.

"I'm serious, Mouda!" he shouted at her, more angry with his own inaction than the girl who was nearly waist-deep in salt water. "Stop!"

_Damn it_, Ace thought in panic, staring at his reflection. I can't…she won't listen…what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to _say?_ He looked to her still-shrinking form. I already…I apologized, so why are you still running away from me?

The pirate swallowed thickly. There was no choice but to give up.

He'd have to run back to town and have Shanks or someone else go and help her. By then it might already be too late, but what else could he do? Even if he was capable of evaporating such a large body of water, he'd kill her in the process. There was just no way. He couldn't case after her anymore.

His pursuit of the girl had begun a very short while ago. However quickly it came to an end, it shouldn't have upset him this much. So he couldn't follow her. So what?

So _what?_ Ace's mind repeated incredulously, ignoring the unfamiliar shock of cold as he dashed into the water. I don't_ like it, _that's what!

Ace stumbled forward, his muscles weakening with each step he forced out of himself. Mouda's figure grew closer, the girl stilling once again. The man grit his teeth as his balance began to waver, waves licking at his hips threateningly. Just a few inches more…

The inches dwindled in an instant. Mouda sunk downwards, swimming into the deeper waters that Ace wouldn't dare to enter. Even if he were to step forward and submit himself to weakness, there would be no point to it. Being unable to move meant being unable to hold a country girl.

Mouda must have noticed that his movements had stopped, or perhaps sensed his dismay as she swam around to look at him. Ace met her blue eyes with his coal ones, his breathing heavy as she blurred in and out of focus. Gathering up bits of strength, the man lifted a hand from the water and reached out to her. The girl was so close, but he couldn't grasp her. It was ridiculously frustrating- almost painfully so.

"Please come back to shore" he begged, wishing he could get down on his knees to convince her of his sincerity. "I really am sorry, so please…!"

She looked at him for another tiring moment. With her arms and legs still moving beneath the water, Mouda crept closer to him, and then slipped her hand through the surface of the water. Her fingers brushed over his, sliding against his palm and touching his wrist as she allowed Ace to take hold of her.

Pulling her close, Ace wasn't aware of the smile that broke across his face or the happiness that stirred inside. All he knew was that he had caught her- she'd let him catch her, and that was all he needed to focus on. It didn't matter how hard Mouda's eyes were or how ridged her arm became after the first few seconds of contact. He couldn't be bothered by how suddenly her body jerked to a halt. The sensation of being pulled forward went unnoticed until it was far too late.

_Damn_, the pirate thought once he realized.

Into the water they went, with bubbles surging around them and saltiness invading Ace's mouth. Shutting his eyes, he could vaguely feel Mouda kick along, dragging him in a direction he did not want to go. Ace tried waiting patiently for her to pull him up for air, but with his heart thudding hollowly inside his chest; it was a very difficult task. At last he felt Mouda stop herself, before the girl decided to pull him through the surface of the water.

His arms were hooked around the blonde's shoulders and their bodies close together. It was a situation he would have liked had he not been hacking and coughing. "You're trying to kill me!" the pirate accused. "Does seeing you naked really warrant this much hate?"

Their noses were almost touching, so there was no mistaking the splash of embarrassment that covered Mouda's face. Her blue eyes looked at him strangely, his words going unanswered even after she opened her mouth.

"I…want you to see" she murmured faintly, lowering her gaze.

Ace tried shaking the water out of his ears. "Uh…what?" if he was meant to take that an answer to his question, then he didn't know how to go about it.

Mouda's platinum hair was wet and brassy looking, clinging to her checks and neck. He was quickly reminded of how her hair had clung to her last night, trying hard to ignore those recollections and concentrate on the girl in the here and now. What she said next did nothing to help the cause.

Mouda shouted her feelings at him, clear and impossible to misinterpret. "_I want you to see me naked!_"

The girl's body was trembling against his after her announcement. She had squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to look at him. He could feel every poorly restrained shiver that ran through her as if he himself were shivering. Ace heard Mouda's heart beating frantically in her chest, the girl's breasts pressing up against him so tightly that it must have been difficult to breathe.

Wait- that's _my_ heartbeat, the man finally noticed.

As thought she were scared of him, Mouda struggled in prying open her eyes, and took even longer to look at him. Her eyes were huge and glazed with fright. It was easy to see that she was terrified of what Ace was going to say to her now, and really, so was he.

"You-"

"_Aah!_" Mouda cut him off with a wordless cry that gave way to flurry of explanations. "Um- I- I want you to look at me!" the girl stammered. "I want you to notice me! Being seen naked-" she swallowed a gagging noise. "I really do love you, Ace, so being seen naked doesn't make me mad! R-rather than that, I should be happy about it!"

She _said_ that, but the blonde's face was beet red. Ace scarcely believed she was hearing her own words. The farmer continued, but this time she spoke a calm, collected fashion. "I'm not upset with you for walking in on me last night. But I was upset when you yelled at me- and it's the same for every time you get angry with me or brush me aside, or just ignore what I'm trying to say…!" she trailed off halfheartedly, her eyes moist with tears.

Guilt hit Ace with a loud pang and forced him to lower his head in apology. "I…" his forehead grazed the water, dizziness rippling through him on contact. "I'm sorry" he breathed.

"You're the worst!"

The truth of Mouda's words stung. "I know"

"I'm clearly telling you my feelings, so tell me yours clearly too!"

Mouda's fingers dug into him, and Ace was oddly glad for the pain he often avoided with his abilities. He was sure it was the biting of her nails that caught his attention. The country girl continued with her speech, and for once, the man let himself listen.

"Not right now…but if…" Mouda bowed her head as well, her voice growing weak. "If you could just think about rejecting me sometime soon, then…I would be happy just for that…"

The pirate heard her whispers and was puzzled. Reject her?

Ace lifted his head, scouring Mouda's face for some sort of hidden meaning to her words. She didn't _want_ to be rejected. No one _wanted_ to be rejected by the person they liked. What as she saying? Why was she _expecting_ it?

Despite all his efforts to keep her at a distance, Ace found that he didn't want to be looked at in such a hopeless light. Why couldn't she just say 'tell me you like me!' like he had thought she would?

It was a backwards and selfish, but Ace didn't want give the girl the response she was asking for.

"No, I-"

His face hit the water with an unexpected splash, the salty clear liquid filling his open mouth. Mouda had released her hold on him, and all Ace could do was wait for her to pull him up again. It felt like several minutes had gone by before he felt her pulling him upwards. The first thing the pirate did when his head broke through the surface was spit out his mouthful of water, unable to bear the flavor any longer.

Mouda flinched a little when the liquid splattered on her face, soaking her already wet bangs. Ace had to cough a few times to get the water out of his throat, and was about to apologize for spitting at her, but stopped himself when catching sight of the angry expression she now wore. It seemed like the girl didn't want any apologies from him.

Ace averted his gaze, a sigh stuck in his chest. "I-"

Wasn't there another response he could give to her other than the one she was asking for? Would nothing else do? He couldn't accept her, but he didn't want to reject her, either.

_Even if it was pointless, I liked knowing someone could love a guy like me. _"I'll think about it"

* * *

I really shouldn't have done this- I was supposed to be updating To The Hereafter. But it's done, and now I won't be feeling as hard-pressed to update anything Ace-related.

I had originally planned on covering more of the content from chapter sixteen of ACGP, but that was before I knew how _ridiculously long_ that chapter was going to be. It's too much for me, guys, too much! FAPV chapters are supposed to be little more than drabbles, understand? If I tried to cover every important moment from chapter sixteen here, I'd have to re-write the entire thing! So I really only covered last scene from chapter sixteen. It actually came out a bit depressing (at leas for me). Huh.

So even though I wasn't supposed to write this right now and feel guilty for doing so, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and will be looking forward to my next update.


	12. Decision

_"__Marshall D. Teach for Shichibukai.__" _—A Country Girl's Pirate, chapter seventeen.

—Shanks always said things he didn't want to hear, so why would this time to be any different?

* * *

Decision

The small harbor of Fuchsia was a very relaxing place to be at midday. Clear skies, sparkling waters and a soft sea breeze flowing through Ace's hair told him so, but the man refused to listen and kept his body tense.

This was no time to be admiring the scenery!

Beside him was a certain red haired pirate, who upon arriving here with him had taken it upon himself to start drinking. The older man stared out at the wide expanse of blue, blue tranquility and said nothing at all, only opening his mouth for a sip of sake. Ace had been subjected to this treatment long before he became a pirate, but even now interacting with this man the way Luffy did seemed impossible for him.

Ace looked towards Shanks after catching a bit of movement in his peripheral vision, but was not at all surprised when he saw a new cup being held out for him to take.

"…No thanks"

"Come on," the redhead spoke at last. "Drink!"

After a moment of stubbornness he took the offered drink and quickly knocked it back. The liquor ran down his throat in a hurry, chased after by a faint burning sensation that Ace had learned to enjoy. After eating the Mera Mera Fruit, drinking became one of the few things which allowed him to appreciate the sensation of heat- the other options requiring him to feel either terribly bad or terribly good.

Shanks shook his head disapprovingly. "You're supposed to drink it slowly, to savor the taste!" he instructed, taking another small sip from his own cup for demonstration.

"I don't have time to be_ savoring__ the taste_" Ace grumbled defiantly. "…Why didn't you tell me?"

"About Blackbeard, you mean?" Shanks took a moment to refill his cup, watching quietly as the clear liquid welled up at the rim and threatened to spill. "I didn't think it was worth talking about. Those sorts of articles don't interest me"

"They don't-" Ace had to stop for a moment, chocking on disbelief. "They don't_ interest you!?_ I'm not asking about your interests, damn it! This is serious!" in a mix of anger and long-term frustration he grabbed the other man by his shirt collar and gave it a rough jerk. "Here I am, wasting my days away when all of a sudden there's a _Shichibukai_ on my tail? Hunting him down is what I swore to do, but now it looks like I might get ambushed instead! I wouldn't have even come to Fuchsia if I had found out sooner!" his grip tightened when Shanks showed no change in demeanor. "My being here could put the whole town in danger! _Don't you get that!?_"

"...Which is why you think its best to leave now" the redhead concluded calmly. "Have you found a boat yet?"

This was not the kind of response Ace had been searching for in his outburst- it did nothing to placate his worries and gave way to a number of other hidden questions Shanks likely wanted answers for. When did he plan to leave? Where would he go? What would he bring with him, and what would be left behind?

His fingers began to unwind as the silent words piled up, freeing the other man's collar at last.

"I got it cheap," Ace said after his hand dropped. "And I plan to leave tomorrow morning. I figured I'd head to Loguetown first and find someone who'll fix a motor to it before crossing into the Grand Line"

"I see..."

The Whitebeard pirate thought of what to say next as Shanks retrieved his cup once more and held the rim to his lips, his eyes closing as the clear liquid passed through them. Suddenly Ace felt very thirsty, but when reaching for his own drink he found only an empty saucer and grimaced at his earlier hastiness.

Waves crashed against the harbor foundation with sudden force, sending a spray of salty mist into the air. As the hiss of water falling back to the ocean subsided, Shanks spoke again.

"And Mouda is going as well?"

He should have been expecting this question most of all, but instead Ace felt a shock run through him that made his stomach lurch.

_"Pirates are supposed to be fearless, so don't worry about it. I'll be doing that for you" _

Her voice drifted through Ace's mind with a pang of anxiety. He responded to her with words of confidence, but in truth it was her presence that scared him. If it was just him in danger then there was nothing to worry about, but if it were Mouda...

"...I did...think about having her stay here..." Ace admitted slowly. "She'd be able to live in my house and work for Makino to provide for herself, and I'm sure the villagers would all be very helpful..."

"Sounds like a good idea" Shanks noted. "But?"

"But I...if I..."Ace hesitated. "...If I were to leave her now, the two of us... would probably never meet again..."

The notion clawed at Ace like an intense phobia, one that had ironically only come to life upon acknowledgement. His lungs squeezed tight as the thoughts he'd been harboring became spoken words. "I'm a pirate, so I can't promise something like 'I won't die' or 'I'll come back'..."

Shanks looked down at his sake cup as he rolled its contents gently. Only a small amount remained. "You can always promise to keep her safe, Ace"

Of course Mouda would be safe if he left her here- she would be far out of harm's reach and his reach as well. And then she would wait. She would wait and wait and he'd never come back to give her a proper answer to her feelings.

"No, I can't"

Ace got to his feet, hands clenched in determination as he made his decision. Looking to where Shanks remained seated, he was surprised to see the older man looking back at him with serious eyes.

"...I know I might not be able to protect her out at sea, but I definitely can't leave her here" Ace explained. "I already made her a different promise, and I'm going to fulfill it"

_I just need a little more time._

Shanks grinned at this, but his eyes never changed. "Just don't take too long" he advised. "The sea is captious- you never know what awaits"

"I know that much!" Ace retorted, suddenly feeling as perturbed by Shanks' presence as he had been when their conversation first began.

The redhead gave a carefree laugh before reaching for the sake bottle at his side, his cup empty yet again. They hadn't gotten very far on the topic of Blackbeard, but staying here any longer would hardly make a difference, so Ace decided it was time to leave and turned his back on the older man. He took several steps in the direction of Party's Bar, only to find himself stopping short at the somber sound of Shanks' voice.

"I had hoped you would forget about pursuing Teach, considering what's happened to you these past few months"

Ace looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the redhead's expression, but Shanks had already turned away from him in favor of a beautiful blue seascape. A fresh cup of sake in hand, Shanks looked for all the world like a middle-aged townsman waiting for his wife to come join him in admiring it.

The thought disappeared in a blink of an eye. Giving his head a shake, Ace clenched his hands into fists once more. "As the second division commander of the Whitebeard pirates, Teach is my responsibility. After losing to him once, its even more important that I take him down. This is a matter of pride!"

"As long as you call yourself a pirate, _pride means nothing_"

Shanks' words cut through the wind and waves like a sharpened sword, leaving only silence. Ace didn't agree with him for a second, but he still found it hard to say anything against such a powerful statement.

"It may mean nothing to you, but it's everything to me" he forced out. "The old man's pride- I won't let anyone disgrace it, especially not that traitor"

For a moment neither of them said anything. Then Shanks sighed an apology and Ace let his hands uncurl. "I know how much it means to you," the captain tried, "but don't resign yourself to such recklessness!"

"I'm not being reckless!" Ace snapped back. "I lost last time because his powers caught me off guard- I'll be ready for it this time!"

"It would be fine if that were the case, but I don't believe it. You're a skilled fighter with or without your Devil Fruit powers, and not the type to be caught off guard so easily. Weren't you simply overpowered?"

"I..." Ace searched the ground for a comeback, but the doubt was already starting to sink in. "If I were, what should I do this time?"

"If you insist on going through with it..." from where he stood, Ace could hear the distinct scuffing of the other man's sandals as he got to his feet. Seconds later Shanks was walking past him, continuing forward in the direction Ace himself had meant to go. "Teach is a pirate in every sense of the word" the redhead began grimly. "My best advice to you would be to follow his example-" he paused for a moment before glancing backwards. "You're a pirate, so use whatever dirty tricks you can come up with to win. He'll be doing the same, so its only fair"

The captain of the Red Hair pirates gave a short shrug that could only be described as ambiguous before resuming his walking pace. Ace tried to process the man's advice and move his feet at the same time, not far from being left behind. Of course he'd do whatever he could to win, that was obvious! Shanks must have meant some unfamiliar methods, but that in itself was way too vague.

"Damn, stupid...!" Ace picked up his pace, now making a deliberate effort to catch up with the other man. Why couldn't he just say things _outright_ instead of tip-toeing around them? Could things not be just a _tad _easi-

...

...?

He must have fallen asleep, because the next time Ace opened his eyes he was suddenly sprawled out on the ground with no recollection of falling over. And Shanks was gone, of course.

Although he was still a bit groggy the abandoned Whitebeard pirate managed to pull himself to his feet, struggling to stay balanced while he took a look around. Darkness surrounded him from all sides, but in the distance he could see the lights of a few houses. It was nighttime now, but some parts of the town were still awake.

Unsure of where he would end up, Ace began stumbling his way towards the luminescent beacons. At first he thought of going to Party's Bar in search of Shanks- maybe have a few drinks afterwards to calm down from the inevitably nerve-wracking confrontation- but remembered that he had plans to leave tomorrow. It was too late now. He had to go make sure everything was prepared.

It didn't take long for Ace to find his barrings once his eyes started to adjust, and twenty minutes later he was slipping through the front door of his own house.

Telling Mouda that they were going to leave was part of his preparations, and where would she be now? Probably fast asleep in the master bedroom. He had intended to tell her about it earlier, but she was acting odd at the bar and he couldn't find a good way to bring up the topic before Shanks came out of the storage room carrying a crate of liquor for Makino.

He would have to explain everything to her in the morning.

Ace let out an empty sigh as he settled down at the kitchen table with his ruck sack and various supplies, packing each item one by one to make sure nothing was missed. Once the essentials were secured he added in some non-perishables and the scraps of beli to be found in his old bedroom. Packing now complete, it was time to begin his second task for the night- drawing.

He was no artist, but there were a certain number of skills that Ace believed were very useful while traveling on your own, and being able to draw a decent picture was one of them. There had been a number of times where he had to map out the local area or draw up a reference picture during his hunt for Blackbeard some months back, and eventually he got to be quite good at it. Tonight, however, he would be drawing mechanical blueprints. He never considered bringing a set for the customized motor that had been attached to his old boat, but he figured it would be good to have a rough version for the engineer to work off of once they reached Loguetown.

It ended up being a bit harder than expected with no ruler or special drawing equipment. Several times his hand became too unsteady and the lines were ruined, but by the third try he managed to produce what he felt was a decent draft.

Ace let the flame burning atop his head gutter out as he fell back in his chair. The loss of light within the room allowed him to take notice of the brightening sky beyond the kitchen window, reminding the young man that there was a sleeping country girl who needed to be woken up if he still intended to leave before noon.

The pirate made his way out of the kitchen area and towards the hallway where the master bedroom resided. In seconds the door was in view, and closed as expected. The last time Ace had approached this threshold he ended up crossing a much different one, his mind caught up in a tangle of guilt and desire towards what lay beyond it.

Did she remember to lock the door?

Ace paused at the thought, showing the smallest amount of hesitance. What would he say once she was awake?

I promised to give you a proper answer, Ace told the Mouda in his head- the one who was crying and soaked head-to-toe as she begged him to say something absurd like 'I don't love you'. If we part ways now, all that crying will have been for nothing, right?

So please, _please_, stay with me for just a little longer...!

Reaching for the door at last, Ace took a deep breath and knocked.

* * *

*Vomits blood*

*Sob*

I'm so happy...I finally got a new chapter done...!

Next time...ACGP...Mouda and Ace depart...end of Fuscia arc...yaaaaayyyyy...and then...final-ish arc...yaaaayyyyyy...

*Dies*


End file.
